Connector for binding posts



May 22, 1945. 1 P. H. ROBAR 2,376,812,

CONNECTORS FOR BINDING POSTS Filed Dec. 18, 1943 v,7" 42% I E I INYENTOR.

- P a x Ru -a? Patented May 22, 1945 t I v Appneatiisi necemter 18, 1943;. Serial mgems'sl fs oflaims; (01. 1135-259.)

This invention relates to 'conriectorsiorhinding post's;such asbattery terminals? An important object isto provide" a removable' connection between at binding" post and a coiidu'm the conductor is forced into direct contact "with the post, in contradistinction toa condi ctorse cured my the'post encircling' coniiectoi' body-itself with-flow of electric current from the; conductor;

to the connector body and thence: to the p'cstij or- Another important object" 'is to provide" a .re-

movable connection between-iiindihg post and" a conductor; comprising 'buttwo rifejbr"portions;a post'- encircling" portion and"? 'aJ- conductor attach; ing' portion; removable from" the post encircling portion,- wherebyth'e' connectorimaybe readily d etached from the" post-encircling" portion; or the post-encircling portion -ma-y' be readily detached fromthepost;

StilP another important cbjectis to -p rovide' a post-encircling port-ion 'of a connector; which may' beconstructed from a sheet of suitable material; stamped out and otherwisefor'med'to provide oneof the" two major portions 'comprising theconi 1 'A nother important object istoprovid'e a mreta'l lie" sheatirifor attachment to the fiee end of a; conductor; for assoiation with the p'ost -enc'ir cling portion described above, thissl 'ieat-hbein adapted to be ins ertedu int/o the pqst en'circling portion and provided with an; integral-al enatefacedi Iug adapted'- to Be clan'ip'e'd "against the binding-pastor terminallso thatjneitherthe p'ost' encircling portion nor the sheath-Will become detached from thepost; except whem itisdesired toremove'th'e-connector? et-another' important cIamping-screw-type connector-for a binding post wherein the: screw A travels to'wardand from; the vertical axis of thepost and normal to the cond'uctor; rather- 'thana para-11ertoi' a straight iine' drawn through "the 'post'- and intersecting-' said axis, or parallel with "the longitudinal axisiofthe conductbr. The -disposa1 "of the screw p'la'ces its head outside the vertical planes or thevertical walls of a conventional: battery box; for instance; so that a wrench may be' freely emplbyedto attach the novel co'nnector to' thebatterytel-mi;- nals, Without interference with these vertical walls;

The novel 'constructiomju'st describ'edalso has tfie' purpo'se of: leaving: the-iventi 'closuresmr av'conven'ti'onai batteny' 'boxl cleaxf of proj ecti'n'g or near obje'ct' isto brovide. a

by" portions of theconnector; since the sor ew is not inserted into or near the post-encircling barts ofthe connector.

Other objects and advantages of" this invention will beapparent d llrihg the course of'the -f'ol1t'1w-- connection'with the accompanying drawing-3 fbrim inga part of this specification, and in which drawing: i t

V attaching sheath forming one of fihe Figure 1 is axtep plan view of one 'fbr-rii or the noveroonnector. I P

Fi'g'fire 2 is a horizontal section-thereof, withwa, conductor attached thereto and a portibr'i" or a: batterybox shownintop -planz Figure I 3 I is ai verti'cal section of the 'cbnnector.

, Figure 4- isanend elevatiom off the postenemecling portionof'thenovefconnector; v -F-i'g-ure 5 -is 'av side e'levatifor-r ofl a conductor two major portions of the novel connector. s Figure 6 is a flattened blank forming theypostencirclingnortiiin"ciffthe'connection i 1 Figures 7 te m illustrate 'a modification: of thei novel connector of Figures 1 to 6. i

Ffi'gure'fiisfl top-plan thereof-. i

-forming the jpost' -encircling: portiorrlthereotf i Figure 9 is: a: top plan o'fi. aiieoriductoreattaching: sheath forming oneof the. twou major: pontionsi'ofr the novellmodifleu connector; withva portion-or? conclu'ctonattached thereto Figure HI! 'issaiside eievatibm ot the sheath off figurem r In thednaawingzwherein tforithezpunpesaofiillusa trati'ont is shownsaipreferredtaridi atmodifiedz formi ofri'tiie invention aznds whereini simi1ar. -refer'- enceycharacters': designate: corresponding: parts throughout the several views the 1etter. A=.may:

designate". theapreferredzfornn'andtthe letter'B the modified form Off theainventiongwhilet therlette'r 6 may .designateia: pnrtion of" am electrical? con ductor, and! the: Batten D a: portion of a1 devicecooneratin gt'therewitmimeanst li2v-for moving. pormateriairnormaillyiwithin theslrreathclimuu with ingZ-it "moved: positions, and :means: t3

fon retaifiingtogethenwertainpantsiiofi saidastrip.

r 'l'lieipontion of electrical:conductbrretillustratedj inciudes-zaxsheatinlfivotsuitablendielectric material; wiresrdi'fstramis l'fi ofi eiectricicurrent conducting I arcuate innerfacefl.

horizontal walls 30 and thissheath 40 may have I -itsi:shank; 49 extending throughethe.perforation r the conductor, so as to'bare the strands I6, for} attachment of the connector A or B, and a suit- 1' able means l8 for attaching the free end I! to the 1 portion I.

' The device D includes a suitable binding post or terminal 20, which is shown as having a smooth upwardly sloping periphery 2|, flattened top 22, and extending from a battery box 23, having a vertical face 24, with the post 20 set inwardly of 1 narrow wall 26, may be solder.

the face 24, all being conventional construction. i

The postencircling portion I0 is; preferably;

formed from 'a single strip or length 25 of suitable metallic material, as shownin Figure 6, and ine cludes a relatively narrow wall 26 having an arcua ate inner face '21, which may or- .maynotjslope';

slightly inwardly. In practice, this arcuate inner I,

face 2.! may form substantially 315" of a circle,:'"

although the arc may varyin degree and itis this face 2! that contacts the periphery 2| of the;

binding. post 20. The outer face 28 of the wall may followthe curve of the. face 21, whereby the wall 26 forms a loop.

I cooperating with those of a suitable member, such as a nut 50 preferably soldered or otherwise 56-";

cured to the interior face of the wall 3|, and

with the free end of the shank 49 within the depression46. a

Means |3 for retaining or securing together the face-to-face parts of the strip 25, comprising the Again reierring to the stri 25, shown in Figure 6, it may be bent along the dotted lines .55 to form the vertical end or bightwall 3 I, and to form the two paralleling horizontal walls 30, normal to the ,wall 3|, curved from the dotted lines 56 to 51 to form the curved narrowwalls 29 and the fiat, narrow wall 2.6;:f0rmed from the two ends of the strip containing the arcuate openings. Other ref ere'nce characters applied to Figure 6 designate correspondingparts. of the complete post-encir- Extending from'the wall 25 are four,preferably.

curved,. walls" 29, which are narrower. than the the full widthpf the strip 20, with their horizontal 3o planes paralleling the planes of the horizontal faces. of the wall .2 5; and, are ;j oined by a vertical .end ,wall "3|, so that; .theiwalls 30 and 3| forma' substantially U-shapedpart.

.Thereiare. no side wallsgsothat. the recess 32 .formedfby the Walls 29,-3 0,;ancl 3| isopen at its sides and openatpne .end,,this,;last opening being-,formed, of coursegbythe narrowedwalls 29 and communicates with ,the space about the .Aperforation 34 is in the end wall 3| for a purpose later detailed. This. perforation 34 is, atthe, intersection of the longitudinal, and transverse axesofthewall3|.,-y

The conductor-attaching portion of the con nector A is shown moreparticularly inFigures 2 and Sand includes a sheath 4110f electric current conducting metal, preferably shorter than-the width of 'thedwalls 30.. It may .have a smooth bore 4|. for accommodation of the baredfreeendll of the conductor C and with the end of the con-- fductor sheath 1 5abutting one ,end42 of the sheath 40. The outer diameter of the sheath 4|]. is less thanlthe distance-apart ofthe inner faces of the flattened outer faces" The free-end I! of the conductor: C may be secured to..thesheath pas by solder 1B.

Extending from the outer surface; of the sheath I with this lug adapted to be accommodated in the. openinge33 for'sliding intoand out of the open-i ing. The are of this -face maybe substan-.

'tially 45? and, withpthe' arcuate face 21, complete 360? of'a circle. fHowever this are need not be strictly.45 sincer-theface 45 need notbe wholly to the portionl0 and retaining the .portion fl in variouszmoved positions, maycomprise a set screw 4'lziwithits head'48' exteriorlyof the portion 34 in the end wall 3| and with' its screwthreads strip 26. Two extend upwardly in substantially. 25'

cling portion Ill.

The modified connector B, shown in Figures v 7-10. inclusive,. i ncludes a post encircling portion 60, also preferably-formed ofstrip material ,.a

conductor at'tachingf portion 6|=,1. cooperating therewith, means .62 .for moving theLpo'rtion 6| with respect to the portion 6|| andretaining it in various moved positions, and means 63 for retair ing together certain parts of the strip.

.Since the two portions 0 an tially all features in common, similar reference characters designate. corresponding. parts of both; The conductor-attaching portion 6| shown.

particularlyin Figures. 9 and 10 includes a sheath 65, preferably longer than the sheath 40, pro- 40 is at-lug. 44 having an 'arcuate outer face45 vided with; generally,conductor-engaging set screws .66 and .61 extending radially of. its. bore; and a screw 68 extending from its outermost end 59, with said end having; a perforation and screw threads therein adapted to cooperate with the screw threads ,of. the shank 10 of the serew 68,v When bared conductor strands are inserted into the bore of the sheath 65 and the set screws 66 'and fil tightened, the screw 68 may be turned to force its free end against the freeends of the conductor strands andjamjthem into tight con-. i W 11 wit t 11 5 Th sh at 65 antenna minu i e- It has an lug 44 and positioned as is the latter. arcuate outer face 12 positionedas isthe arcuate face 45, and the sheathi'65 mayhave a depression; 13 like the depression 46, in .its side opposite that containing thelug The means 62 is'su l2 and functions similarly, but the screw head 48 of 'themeans 62 has a pair oi axially aligned perforations l3 in its side faces, accommodating the ends of a suitablehandle 14, obviating-the needs of a wrench in turningthe screw 41.

Means 63 differs from means |3and comprises a pair of lugs 15 preferably integral with the, flattened blank, a fragment of which is shown in Figure 8. These lugs extend outwardly. .fromthe blank and are adapted [t0 beJoent either upwardly or d0wnwardly, (depending uponwhich end of the. blank they occupy) when the portion 6!] .is formed, and over the'overlapping' end of the blank not containing the" lugs; 5,' so'that the two overlapping end parts areheld together by the lugs 15 instead of by solder or the like.- However, both the lugs and solder may .beemployedon the same portion Bland the lugs-.15, may be soldered, also; 1

Inv applying either combined binding post and conductor connector clamp A. or B with the screw 41 loosened'so that theylug 44 or"||, asthe case may be, retracted ;in the. openi g '3 h clamp i have sub Stan;

bstantially like the means;

into the recess 32, substantially filling it, if de-' sired, so that the juncture of the sheaths 40 and I will be well covered by anti-battery acidcompound and attachment of the portions Ill and l l, due to acid action will be avoided.

Either major portion of the clamps A or B may be discarded without dicarding the other portion.

The conductor wires or strands I 6 are protected by the metallic sheaths 40 or 65 and are not severed, flattened and weakened, or badly deformed, as would be the case where a means,

similar to the set screw means l2. or 62, bore directly against the wires l6, forcing them direct ly against the curved post 20.

The combined clamps Aor B may be disposed so that the outer portions of means 12 or 62 ex-' Various changes may be made to the forms of x the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination binding post and conductor clamp, a post-encircling portion, including a loop section, having substantially paralleling upper and lower faces, and a hollow U-shaped section, open at its sides and open at one of its ends, integral with said first-named portion, with said open end facing said first-named section, said second-named section having upper and lower walls with the horizontal planes of said faces Within the horizontal planes of said walls, and a conductor-carrying portion having a metallic sheath and a metallic lug extending from the periphery of said sheath adjacent one end thereof, said lug having an arcuate face facing said loop section, said lug and the immediate part of said sheath being slidably accommodated within said hollow section through either of said open sides.

thereof, and means forcing said lug toward and into said open end, toward said loop, section, and retaining said lug in various forced positions, comprising an exteriorly screw threaded member and cooperating screw. threads in the bight of said U-shaped section, with said screw threads in cooperativeengagement, the free end of said member bearing upon said sheath.

2. In a combination binding post and conductor clamp, a post-encircling portion, including a loop section, having substantially paralleling upper and lower faces, and a hollow U-shaped section, open at its sides and open at one of its ends, integral with said first-named portion, with said open end facing said first-named section, said section-named section having upper and lower walls with the horizontal planes of. said faces within'the horizontal planes of said walls, and a conductor-carrying portion having a metallic sheath and a metallic lug extending from the periphery of said sheath adjacent one end thereof,

s'aidzlugvhavingl anz arcuate face racin -swallow sectiomsaid lug and? the immediate part ofisaidl sheath being slidably: accommodated-within:- are hollow sectiorrthrough either of saidi open sides.

- thereof; and means: forcing r'saidi lug. toward and:

into';saidopenend}: toward sai dil'o'op section;- and retaining said .rrlug 6 in variousf ibroe'd positions, comprising arr exte'riorl y screw t'hrea'ded membe'n and cooperating screw threads in the bight of said U-shaped section with said screw threads in cooperative engagement, the free end of said member bearing upon said sheath, and the length of said sheath being less than the shortest distance from one of said open sides to the other of said open sides. r

3. In a combination binding post and conductor clamp, a post-encircling portion, includinga loop section, having substantially paralleling upper and lower faces, and a hollow U-shaped section,

open at its sides and open at one of its ends, in tegral with said first-named portion, with said open end facing said first-named section, said second-named section having upper and lower walls with the horizontal planes of said faces within the horizontal planes of said walls, and a I conductor carrying portion having a metallic sheath and a metallic lug extending from the periphery of said sheath adjacent one end thereof, said lug'having an arcuate face facing said loop section, said lug and the immediate part of said sheath being slidably accommodated within said hollow section through either of said open sides thereof, and means forcing said lug toward and into said open end, toward said loop section, and retaining said lug in various forced positions,

the greatest width of said conductor-carrying por- 1 comprising a metallic strip provided with a pair of arcuate openings adjacent the ends thereof, said strip being folded upon itself with said openings in register and the walls thereof in contact, said strip being narrowed into spaced-apart arms diverging from said openings, and said strip then being widened and extending thence horizontally in planes substantially paralleling the horizontal planes of that part of said strip containing said openings, said horizontally extending parts of said strip being spaced apart and joined by a bight part, being that part of said strip farthest removed from said openings, a conductor-carrying portion slidable between said widened partsof .said strip, provided with a lug, having an arcuate face, with said lug extending between said arms and said face facing said registering openings, means for moving said conductor-carrying por-' tion away from said bight part and retaining it in various moved positions, and means retaining together said folded-upon-itself parts of said strip.

5. In a binding post and electrical conductor, a one-piece post-encircling portion, comprising a metallic strip provided with a pair of arcuate openings, adjacent the ends thereof, said strip,

being folded upon itself with said openings in register and the walls thereof in contact, said strip being narrowed into spaced-apart arms diverging from said openings, and said strip then being widened and extending thence horizontally in planes substantially paralleling the horizontal planes of that part of said strip containing said openings, said horizontallylextending parts of said strip being spaced apart and joined by a bight part, being that part of said strip farthest removedfrom'said openings, aeonductor-carryingd gether'said 'fbldedq-upon-itselfpartsof saidstrip;

portion slidable between :said'r-widened parts-of i cumprising a. :pairofcllps" extendingyfrom'said said'strip, provided witha. lug, having an'ai cuatefi strip, being integral-with one of the foldedeuponface, with said lug extending betweenjsaid arms itself parts of said strip and folded upon the outer. and said facegfacing -said registering openings, 5 face 'off the otherwof said. folded-upon itself parts means for moving; said conductor-carrying por-' ofsaid-strip. tion away from said bight part and retainingiitjn 1 Y various;rnoved positions, and means retaining try-y- 

